


I Can Barely Breathe

by rayongrilledcheese



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-02-15
Packaged: 2018-03-06 21:51:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3149558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rayongrilledcheese/pseuds/rayongrilledcheese
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry just looked puzzled at Louis with a slight smile playing on his lips “Harold,” he mumbled and then annouced to them all that he was in fact single, closely followed by the best news that Louis had ever gotten since he found out that Cadbury’s had decided to start doing them Crème Egg bars, as it escaped from behind Harry’s lips  that he was in fact pansexual. Maybe a drunken kiss could be in the cards he thought, producing a swift grin on his face that he aimed directly at the curly haired boy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

Louis Tomlinson was sat on the end of his bed in his brand new university room. He now knew there was five other people just outside the door that was staring right at him from across the room, after having had his younger sisters, Daisy and Phoebe, helpfully count the doors very loudly while the rest of his flatmates and their parents attempted to navigate themselves around the two girls. Now though, after his mum had helped him partly unpack, his family had left, and he knew that what he really ought to do was go straight into the kitchen area to property introduce himself. 

Nothing for it then I guess, he thought, as he swung his legs forward off the bed, and with a last look in the mirror to make sure he had no food in his teeth he went to open the door, ready to meet the people he would be living with for the rest of the year. 

He’d barely pushed the door open, shoving a bit of cardboard under his door to keep up open (it appears everybody had had the smart idea of bringing a door stop with them but it had never even crossed his mind) when a guy with light blond hair stepped out of the bed across from his own.

“Hey I’m Niall” the boy said with an Irish accent. 

“Louis” he replied smiling back. 

“What course you doing?”

“Sociology and History, what about you?”

The boy pulled a face back “Oh god” he said with a chuckle. “And Music, hoping years of playing the guitar is going to actually turn into something useful.”

Louis laughed, this wasn’t going to be too bad he reckoned. As long as kept himself from turning into an obnoxious jerk as per usual, he was sure he would be able to go into the kitchen and met them all now, he knew that once he got coming he could talk for Doncaster, it was just then attempting to shut the hell up that stressed him out. 

“Want to go into the kitchen then Niall?” Louis said.

“Yes, I’ve already met one of the lads, Zayn, he’s in room two next to you, seems like a nice guy, if a bit quiet.”  
Louis followed Niall down the corridor into the living area, he’d already been in, but just quickly to claim a cupboard and shove his crockery and culinary in there and leave. It had been empty at the time, but now as he walked in there was a group of four boys sat around the table. 

He had barely glanced at any of the other boys when one of them said “Hey”, with an accent Louis could not place. 

“I’m Liam, doing Geography, what about you?” 

So he pulled out the chair next to Liam and sat down making the small-talk he felt sure he was going to have to go over and over again in the next couple of weeks. If there was one thing Louis hated it was small talk, what was the point of having a conversion if you weren’t going to get anywhere interesting and just stick to shite stuff, such as the weather and your crummy hometown? 

The boy who was slouched over in his seat on Liam’s over side with a cigarette tucked behind his ear then introduced himself as Zayn and then he only had the other two to talk to, but Niall seemed to have their full attention at the moment. It seems that nobody had a clue where his hometown Mullingar was and he had pulled up Google Maps on his phone to show the other two boys exactly where it was located. 

Louis was just getting on to talking about football teams, glad that in Zayn he had found a fellow Man U fan, when the taller of the two of the guys he hadn’t spoken to yet stood up, stretching himself out. 

“Yo, is anybody else hungry cause I’m starving but I didn’t want be the only one to make some food, feels weird knowing that I’m going to have to do it all myself, so who wants to order a pizza. You know celebrate the first night and all before we go out? Also I’m Nick by the way, lovely to meet you all.” the guy said with a shit-eating grin plastered over his face. 

Shit. Louis know this was going to happen but he just hadn’t counted on it happening so soon. 

All the rest of the boys enthusiastically agreed, ready to do anything that allowed them to not have to cook for themselves yet, apart from Zayn who had just glanced up from his phone, which he seems to be glued to, and just mumbled “Yeah sure I’m chill with anything,” and then it was just down to Louis to agree. 

The trouble was that Louis was skint. Like super skint. He had a bit of money in his bank account, but all of his student loan was being used for his accommodation and he was going to have to desperately get a job at uni or just have to drop out, because he didn’t qualify for any grants, as apparently the government was a pile of wank. His parents also just didn’t have any more money to give him then about fifty quid a month, what with the girls and everything to worry about, and he felt shit for asking for more than they could give if he was just going to blow it on takeaway pizza when he knew that he could easily just make something for about a quarter of the price. 

“Hm, I’m fine thanks, I’ll make something else.” 

“You sure?” asked the only guy that he didn’t know the name of yet. Louis looked across the table at him and just stared for way longer than what was the expected amount of time to look at somebody, never mind the first time you’d ever even acknowledged them. Damn though, Louis thought this guy is fit. 

“Oh yeah I’m fine, gotta keep on top of this fine figures lads!” he said, winking across the table at the guy.

The boy blushed. “If you’re sure that’s okay” he said. 

“Course it is, anyways I had a huge dinner and I’m stuffed mate” Louis lied.  
In reality, thinking back he was pretty sure that he hadn’t even had much for breakfast this morning, maybe just a couple of crisps he nicked out of a packet that Daisy was eating in the car on their way here. 

“Oh okay,” the boy said. “I’m Harry by the way, Lewis is it?” 

“Louis.”

“Ah shit, okay sorry,” Harry laughed, his plump lips stretching right over his face as he grinned directly at Louis. Oh shit, how am I’m going to get through a year of this without at least one crappy attempt to drunkenly kiss that fine mouth, while simultaneously questioning how any boy with hair that good could even be real; those curls ought to be illegal. It’s going to be a long year he thought.

*

As the rest of the guys sat tucking into their pizzas Louis was sat sipping on his mug which he had filled with a Cuppa Soup. He knew that he was going to have to take it slow tonight when they started drinking, which looking at his phone had to be pretty soon as it was already quarter to seven, or he was just going to be sick everywhere, and he was pretty damn determinate that was not how his first night at uni was going to end. Normally he would be fine, but running on a stomach this low always make him puke. 

He kept making sideways glances at Harry, who had returned from his room with some sort of headband thing wrapped around his head and it was the most stupid thing Louis had ever seen but it still managed to look amazing on him, which was super unfair, as it was the most distracting thing ever. 

*

“Anybody got a pack a cards handy?” Liam said, once they had all finished eating and were getting ready to have some pre-drinks before they left to find some half-decent club. 

“Pretty sure I’ve got some in me room, give me a minute.” Niall said, as he stood up and left the kitchen area.

“What’ve you got in mind like Liam?” Louis said.

“Ring of fire, I reckon, I mean I know it’s pretty cliché but I’m guessing we all know how to play and I dunno how expensive drinks are here, but getting pretty drunk before you leave is never a bad idea.” 

When Niall returned with a pack of Disney Pixar cards, “Really mate Pixar?” “Shut up, I got them in Disneyland, you’re all just jealous.”, Nick took over the job of shuffling them and then making a ring with them to surround a plastic jug they placed in the middle of the table, Zayn’s apparently, but he didn’t seem to have any clue of what was actually going on, as his face was still glued to his phone. 

*

“You know what,” Niall said, just after the third four had been picked up by him once again, “this game would be a lot better if we had some girls here to actually drink every time I pick up one of these bloody cards.” 

Which meant that the conversion turned swiftly to girlfriends and if anybody was taken. 

Turned out Liam had a girlfriend but she was a year younger and therefore still back in Wolverhampton doing her A Levels. Zayn also had a girlfriend and she also at their Uni, but unlike them they found out she’d been placed in the city accommodation rather than the more recused one like they were. 

“Figured why you’ve been glued to that phone all night then,” said Nick. 

“Yeah, trying to figure out where her and her flatmates are going tonight, see if it’s alright, if you wanted to have a look there too?”

“Yeah sure that’s fine,” Niall said. “Anyway I’m single, what about you?” he said turning to look at Nick. 

“Nah, don’t have a boyfriend at the moment,” 

“Boyfriend?” Louis said.

“Yeah, boyfriend. Why have you got a problem with that?” 

“No, it’s just I’m gay too aha, at least I don’t have to worry about at least one of you lot being a dick about it that’s all.” 

There was a round of no’s and of course’s not mate that went round the table and Louis felt glad that was over, some of his old friends back home had been a little less than happy about his sexuality when he had decided to tell them at the end of his school life. 

“What about you then Harold?” Louis said, while at the same time thinking oh shit getting drunk, why did I call him that? 

Harry just looked puzzled at Louis with a slight smile playing on his lips “Harold,” he mumbled and then annouced to them all that he was in fact single, closely followed by the best news that Louis had ever gotten since he found out that Cadbury’s had decided to start doing them Crème Egg bars, as it escaped from behind Harry’s lips that he was in fact pansexual. Maybe a drunken kiss could be in the cards he thought, producing a swift grin on his face that he aimed directly at the curly haired boy.

 

They continued on with the game of ring of fire, until Louis pulled out the last King and with a grimace at the jug in the middle of the table that now consisted of a mixture of beer, vodka, Iron Bru, coke, rum and cider just decided there was nothing else to do but to just rapidly chug the vile stuff down.  
“Just gonna pop to the toilet first lads and then I’ll be right back to neck that wonderful cocktail you’ve managed to conquer up for me,” Louis said.  
“Better be back in five mate or I’m coming to get you.” Nick replied. 

*

He walked into the bathroom which they had all looked around before the pizza’s had arrived, deciding it was in an alright condition, with the luxury of three toilets and a couple of showers; enough to get them all by. After he’d had a quick piss, he walked over to the sinks and peered at the reflection looking back at him in the mirror. 

“You’re fucked mate” he said out loud, thinking he knew that he ought to be more sensible then go back into that kitchen and just chug down another shit load amount of alcohol but by this point the idea of more just seems really hilarious. 

*

When he got back into the kitchen it turns out that they knew where they were heading now, as Zayn’s girlfriend had rang him and said she and her flatmates would meet them all there. 

“Taxi’s booked for half hour.” Niall said reappearing from the corridor where we’d just left around five minutes ago to give one of the taxi companies a ring. 

Zayn had put his phone away now and was sat chatting with Louis, as Louis kept trying to focus on the conversion rather than the fact everything felt a little bit too dizzy, when Liam realised that Louis had not yet gotten round to drinking the jug that was rightfully his. It was still sat proudly in the middle of the table, a foul orangey colour. 

“Just leave him be Liam, he’s clearly already wasted.” Nick said from the green couch type sofa seats that looked as if they belonged in a hospital and were pushed together to form a circle of what Louis guessed was supposed to be the more comfortable version of seating in the room at the left of the table that dominated the centre, which they had all been originally sat around. 

“No I am not.” He giggled looking at Nick crossing his eyes, “I’m fine, I’m doing, I’m doing just fine!” Nick couldn’t tell him what to do, if he wanted to get truly fucked tonight he would, hell he didn’t even have any parents or a million younger siblings that he had to at least attempt to be quiet for when he got back in. 

Anyway why had him and Harry decided to move over there anyways, I mean he really really wanted to talk to Harry right now and Nick had moved him all the way other there where it would look weird if he tried to talk to him. Why were they so chummy already, they hadn’t even been here twenty-four hours yet. He was contemplating the fact that it was most likely because they both had really good hair and that they were bonding over this when he realised that the orange jug was still sat waiting for him, ready to be drank. 

He put down his glass, which only had the dregs of what was once a full glass of coke and vodka, and plucked the jug up, giving it one quick sniff before putting it to his lips and drinking. 

He was getting just to about halfway of the substance, when he felt a strong firm hand land on his shoulder, he pulled the drink back to look up and see who it was and looked right up to see the face of the one and only Harry… 

“Harold! What’s your surname” he slurred up at the taller boy.

“Styles, why?” Harry laughed. If his voice was liquid sex Louis thought, then that laugh has got to be quite frankly that liquid potion shit out of Harry Potter that people used for good luck, it was gorgeous.

“Felix Felicis?” Harry said, his brow making him look adorably confused. 

Oops, most have said that out loud, Louis thought, knowing that in the morning he would probably lie directly underneath his duvet, burrowing his self away, wondering why he always let himself be so damn loud, but at this moment he just laughed and called Harry a huge nerd. 

“Hey! Do you want leave the rest of that jug alone and take it a bit slower, would be awful if you never made it out tonight,” Harry said that stupid smile not leaving his face, as he sat down next to Louis, prodding him with his long elegant fingers. Louis definitely did not need to be thinking about what those fingers could probably do to him right now. Not at all. 

“Taxi’s here” Louis heard Niall or Liam or Zayn or maybe it was Nick, call from outside in the corridor, but at this point in time he honestly did not give two shits all he could think about was that Harry was sitting right across from him. 

“Come on, up you get Dopey” Harry said, standing up and reaching down to help Louis get to his feet. 

“I am not Dopey I’ll let you know Harry, I got into Uni, bet you never knew that!” 

“Nope, not a clue. Thanks for clearing that one up,” he said, still smiling, as Louis thought Jesus that guys jaw most ache. 

*

The rest of the night pasted in a blur, an actual literal blur for Louis. The next morning when he woke up in his new bed, only his boxers on, with a mouth that felt inside like the Sahara desert, but alas no Harry, he hadn’t a clue of what had gone on that night. Tracing his mind back the last thing he could only just quite remember was the journey on their way in the taxi, where all he could ruminate up was the fact that he had gotten the delightful pleasure of claiming the seat next to Mr Styles himself and he had played with his hair for the duration of the journey. 

Pulling himself out of bed, he hoped he hadn’t done anything too bad on his first night. He know how loud and annoying he could get even when he was sober, never mind when he had so much to drink he couldn’t even see properly. 

Standing up, he stretched and rooted though one of his new draws until he found an old pair of joggy bottoms and a red top he hardly even looked at anymore and thought what he really needed was a piss and a cuppa to revive himself. 

*

After he’d quickly been to the toilet and brushed his teeth, in an attempt to make his mouth taste a little less like a rat had crawled in there and died, he went into the kitchen ready to make himself some toast and a well-deserved cup of tea. 

Yet, when he pushed the door open to the kitchen he was startled to see that there was already two people in the room sat around the wooden table in the centre. 

Harry was sat right there in nothing but a pair of boxers and a flimsy paisley shirt that was far too much for Louis to even try and deal with at this time of a morning, munching on a slice of toast with a pretty blonde girl sat right next to him, huddling a cup of tea. 

Oh. Louis felt his heart dropping. Obviously Harry was going to pull on the first night, thought Louis, I’m pretty sure if you looked up the definition of charming and good-looking in the dictionary you would get a picture of Harry Styles right underneath giving you a very crisp and clear definition.

He just hadn’t expected it to hurt this much already, he barely knew the guy.

Both of the girl and Harry continued to talk energetically when Harry looked up and noticed that Louis had just walked in.

“Morning Louis, how you feeling?” he asked grinning up at him, as the blonde girl give him a smile. 

“Morning Harold, doing alright, you? Who’s your friend” Louis replied, attempting to not sound bitter in the slightest.


	2. Chapter 2

Before Harry had the chance to speak though the girl got up out of her seat and walked over to Louis, thrusting out a hand towards him and saying “Hey I’m Perrie, Zayn’s girlfriend. Nice to meet ya.” in a strong northern accent.

Louis felt his whole face light up. Zayn’s girlfriend, yes, yes he could work with that. Then he thought about how much of a tool he had just acted, she most think him super rude, which to be honest he told himself he could be, but hey life sucks. 

“Oh hi, I’m Louis” he said grinning back at her. He looked back to Harry who was just sat there like some sort of angel smiling up at the both of them. 

“Your kitchen is minging by the way” Perrie said. 

Louis watched as Harry crinkled up his nose and turned his head to look around at the collection of dirty piles of cutlery and crockery lying round and at the bin in the corner that was already overflowing. 

“Wow,” he said, “you’re right, it’s only been one night and we’ve messed it up.”

“That’s what student life is all about though.” said Louis, “Like calm down you two mums, pretty sure our immune systems will be super-efficient by the end of the year.” 

“Yeah I’m sure they will when you guys all get meningitis.” Perrie said and they both laughed. 

Louis went over to boil the kettle to make more tea for the three of them, noting that Harry drank green tea. Which mean he couldn't help but think, god this kid was too damn pretentious and it is far too adorable. They sat there for a short while, chatting and getting to know each more and Louis found that he really liked Perrie, having her around would probably be good he thought, instead of just being surrounded by the lads all the time. 

Just as Perrie was asking the boys if they were going to the Fresher’s Activities Fair later that day, Zayn came into the kitchen looking literally like death warmed up.

“Morning sweetie” Perrie said, sounding amused.

Zayn glanced at her offering a fond smile before he fell into one of the free remaining chairs and thumped his head down onto the table. 

“He’s not really a morning person.” Perrie stage whispered to Harry and Louis.

“What time is some stupid fair thing you want to go?” Zayn replied.

“It starts around two, but apparently Jesse, she’s the girl next door to me, said that her sister told her that you really ought to get there a bit earlier cause it’s dead popular and you’ll end up queuing for ages, so I’m meeting the rest of the girls there at like half one if you want to come.” said Perrie, then turning to look at Harry and Louis said “You’ll all welcome to come with us by the way.”

“Sounds great” said Harry, “I’ll go and get the rest of boys up.”

Once Harry was gone Louis felt like too much of a third wheel to want to remain in the kitchen with Zayn and Perrie, even if Zayn was still lying over the top of the table like some form of dead weight, so he mumbled some excuse about going to do his hair if they were leaving soon and got up. 

Just before he had left the room though Perrie said “He was right.”

“What? Who was right?” Louis questioned turning back around to look at her from the doorway.

“Oh just Harry, he said you had an amazing arse, and he wasn’t lying.” Perrie replied smirking up at him.

Louis felt his cheeks start to flare up as he opened the kitchen door and made his way back to his room, wishing that for once that the constant come backs that his mind was normally so good at conquering up had been working properly. 

*

As the whole group of them trudged down the long bank making their way to the university’s Student Union ready to sign up for God knows what, Louis shoved his hands deep into his pockets, not understanding how it was this cold in only September. He kept thinking of his winter coat back at the flat tucked up behind his door, but instead he had chosen to only put on a flimsy grey jacket that did nothing to keep out the cold. 

He appeared to be deep in conversion with both Niall and Liam, talking about football and what sports they were going to sign up for, but in reality he was only trying to come across as interested to look polite, it was still only the second day, he couldn’t just blank them both. The fact of the matter was in most cases any talk of football would have had him captivated, but at this moment in time all that he could think about was what Perrie’s had commented as he had walked through the door. 

When they had all met up again at the front door of the flat ready to leave he managed to get Harry laughing as he sarcastically took the mick out of Zayn, who was still only really half awake, but by the time they got to the bottom of the stairs of their block of flat Nick had Harry’s full attention and they were now walking a couple of metres behind Louis laughing about something. 

“Louis” Niall said, waving the hand that wasn't fiercely tucked under his armpit in front of his face, “Hello anybody in there?” 

“Oh what, sorry most have spaced out.” 

“No kidding.” Liam said. 

“Anyway I was wondering if you wanted to get a cheeky Nandos after this Activity Fair thing.” Niall said winking at Louis.

“Hm yeah sure.” Louis said, but even as he said it he was already calculating up how much it was going to cost him. 

“Good.” Niall said. 

“Please.” Liam said, his face a picture of horror, “Never utter the words ‘cheeky Nandos’ in my company again or I’m putting an official complaint in and I’m moving accommodation.”

Niall just burst out laughing, throwing an arm around Louis and Liam, “Cheeky Nandos are a need Liam. See just going to have just a normal Nandos is no fun, where’s the risk?” 

“What the hell are you on about?” Louis said.

“You’ll see mate, you’ll see. A cheeky Nandos with the Horan touch is not just a meal, it’s an experience.” 

“I think the Student Union is just across that road there” Perrie shouted over the wind to them all, “Oh yeah look there’s the girls now! Hey Leanne! Hey Jade! Jesse!”

The whole group of them made their way over the crossing and as introductions went around once again Louis felt a pair of eyes watching him, he looks over to see Harry who give him a quick smile, trying to hide a slight frown that had been playing seconds before when Louis had first looked at him. 

*

Louis decided in the end to sign up for football along with Liam, and then as they strolled through the completely overfilled room he ended up putting his email down for far too many things that he knew he would probably never even bothering to attend. In the end they had all begin to separate out as different interests had distracted them all and Louis was now just wandering about aimlessly by himself just wanting to leave so they could go and get a free slice of dominos that were being given away when you left the Activities Fair. 

As he made one more circle around the endless set-ups of tables, offering everything from poetry to plate-spinning to rugby, he decided that he would just meet the rest of them outside and walked off ready to get his free pizza. When he got to the outside of the union, disgusted at how pathetic the small slice of pepperoni he had managed to claim looked, he saw that two of the girls that Perrie was sharing a flat with were already stood there. 

One of them, Leanne he thought he would remember her saying, waved him over. 

“Hey.” She said. 

“Hi, signed up for everything?” Louis said.

“Yeah, I can’t actually believe they have a nail art society, this is amazing.” Leanne said

“I’m just glad they have societies ready to tackle bullying and stuff” the other girl, Jesse, Louis guessed, said. 

“Sounds good girls. I’ve gone for far too much, reckon I’ll only actually bother with the football.” Louis said. 

The rest of the group slowly made their way out of thebuilding, until they all were left waiting for Harry and Nick. 

“Right that’s it I’m going back in and finding them, this is a joke. I need my C-bomb Nandos” Niall said.

“What the hell is a C-bomb Nandos Horan?” Louis said.

“Well somebody was getting their panties in a twist over the fact that a man needs his cheeky Nandos, and has now banned me from saying the C word. So you know from now on we will mourn cheeky Nandos, but instead I’ve resurrected it as C-bomb Nandos.” Niall replied, as Liam looked like he was going to burst behind him.

“Twenty-five times you said it going round. Twenty-five times! I counted! I am not being unreasonable!” Liam said.

“Jesus Christ Perrie, who are these boys and are we going to have to keep them?” Jade said. 

"Wow Liam, way to be a fun sponge." Louis said as Niall highfived him and Louis felt his chest ache as he laughed at these people he had only known for less than twenty-four hours, but already felt ridiculously comfortable among. Now all he needed was for Nick and Harry to walk out so that he could just eat some chicken without his stomach being in knots, why were they taking so long?

Eventually after more than just a couple of minutes of waiting around for the two boys, they emerged with Harry holding a full box of Dominos.

“How the hell did you get all that?” Niall exclaimed, his face completely fallen. 

Nick chuckled, “This boy is a mastermind and he doesn’t even know it. What he thought was just casual chitter-chatter was him literally charming the pants of the girl offering out pizza until next thing I know she was handing over a full box, whilst he just smiled on with teeth all pearly. I’m hundred percent sure her number in inside of the box.”

“Hey!” Harry said, “I was just being polite!”

“Yeah, but being polite with them legs in them jeans kind of exceeded casual politeness Harold. I mean did you paint them on or did you just have them surgically attached to your body this morning?” Louis said.

“Harold!” Harry said, his face lighting up like a kid at Christmas, “I forgot about that!” 

This kid most be really used to compliments if that’s all he got out of me basically confessing my undying love for his legs, Louis thought. 

“Right now can we go for a Nandos then?!” Niall piped up. 

“Oh me and Harry were thinking if it was alright with you guys that we’re just going to go and do a bit of exploring, I mean thanks to Harry here we have a full pizza to share so you guys can just go ahead anyway, right?” Nick said.

Louis felt his stomach drop. Weren’t they mean to be all getting to know each other? He kept his eyes firmly away from Harry not wanting to only after one stupid day look like a complete fool and show how hurt he really felt.

“Um, only if that’s okay with you guys, of course?” Harry added after nobody said anything. 

“Yeah sure that’s fine.” Liam said, though Louis wouldn’t help but feel that his voice did actually sound a bit miffed that they were being blown off by Nick and Harry. 

“Ah good.” Harry said. 

“See you guys later then.” Zayn said, as Nick give them a wave and him and Harry started walking down one of the side streets going off from the Student Union.  
Niall swung his arm across Louis' shoulders for the second time that day and smiled at him. “Dunno who wouldn’t want a Nandos Louis my man, it’s going to be great.” he said, and then when everyone had once again dispersed into smaller groups he said in a tone so quiet that only Louis could hear “You okay mate?” 

Those simple words made Louis feel instantly much better, the fact that Niall was concerned about him was so sweet; they still barely knew each other. Yet Louis know if Niall had already noticed that he was already feeling down about the fact Harry had gone off then he was going to have start controlling his feelings a lot more, he couldn’t let himself get too involved in something he knew was basically an impossibility. 

“Yeah I’m fine thanks.” He said making sure to let his eyes crinkle up when he smiled so Niall would hopefully be convinced. 

He was just about to ask Niall’s advice about what he ought to order when they got to the restaurant, when he felt a firm warm hand touch his right shoulder, the shape of the rings covering the long fingers that were curved over his jacket etching into his skin. He known even once that hand had left his shoulder the feeling of the metal that was burning into him would be felt for much longer. He tried to hide the fact that he felt like he had bubbles being formed in his stomach, waiting on the edge ready to burst when he turned around and knew he was going to see those wide green eyes peering at him. 

“Louis.” he heard Harry say, turning his head around.

“Hazza?” Louis said.

Harry’s eyes lit up at the use of another nickname and then he proceeded to pull off the long dark trench coat he was wearing.

“You looked really cold before. You can borrow this.” Harry said pushing the coat out towards Louis.

“Nah actually I’m fine Harry.” Niall said, as he stood next to Louis in a massive jumper underneath a padded out denim jacket. 

Harry laughed, “Wasn’t talking about you Niall” he said.

“Oh nah Harry I’m fine, please. Just go back exploring, you’ll need it more if you’re walking about.” Louis said.

“I’m always really hot Louis, you should just take it.” Harry replied, shoving his coat into Louis’s arms and turning away to walk off before Louis would try and stop him, having to just stand back, his mouth open ready to protest as Harry’s ridiculously long legs strolled off to go and catch butterflies or whatever he was planning to whilst “exploring”.  
He eventually pulled the coat on, making him feel warm from the fact that he now had a sufficient amount of layers on to stop his teeth chattering, but also more importantly from the fact Harry had cared enough to give up his own comfort for Louis. He pulled the top of the coat tighter around himself, smelling some brand of aftershave he couldn’t name, but which smelt like heaven. 

Niall just smirked as he sided eyed him and they both hurried off to meet with the rest of the group that had managed to not even make it too far ahead while Niall, Harry and he had been stood still. 

*

Later that afternoon after they had got back, Louis was sat behind his desk in his new room attempting to read the beginning of a textbook that had been recommended by the university to have been read over the summer, and which meant like the idiot he was he had just left it in the Amazon box it had arrived in five weeks prior in the corner of his room back home, not even worrying about it until now when he knew that his first lectures were only a measly five days away. 

His door though was held wide open by the bit of cardboard he had folded the day before so his dedication to the words in front of him wasn’t actually that high. Coming from the door next to him he could hear the sound of RnB music being played through some rather loud speakers by Zayn and he just kept getting distracted by the lyrics. 

As he read over the same sentence for the millionth time he decided there was no hope and shut the book. He thought that we could easily just have a quick cup of tea and then come back and read a bit, it was still only half five he had loads of time before he had to start getting ready before they went out that night. 

He smiled at Zayn and Perrie with a quick hi as he walked past them and into the kitchen doors at the end of the corridor. 

Liam and Harry were the only ones in the kitchen area when he walked in, with Liam sat at the table looking confusedly at his phone, a little bit of his tongue sticking out as he concentrated on whatever was behind his screen. While Harry was sat on the floor in the corner of the room, his legs folded up in a manner that did not look comfortable to Louis, scribbling away in a mole skin notebook which was perched on the low coffee table.  
As Louis walked over to the kettle Harry seems to suddenly acknowledge he was in the room.  
“Louis!” he said.  
“Hey Harold, how was your exploring?” Louis said.  
“Oh it was fine thanks, the city here is massive, it’s daunting. Where I come from, back home is so small in comparison.” he replied, his green eyes getting wider and wider as he spoke. Louis felt a fondness growing in him at the way in which Harry seems to manage to get so enthusiastic whenever he spoke about literally anything. 

“Great.” Louis said. “Whatcha doing now then?” 

“Oh nothing really, just writing. Could you pass me one of them banana over I’m starving?” Harry said. 

“Yeah sure.” Louis replied chucking over one over and then turning his back to pour the water that had just boiled into his mug, he was not ready at all to have to watch Harry Styles eat a banana in front of him.

“Liam was just informing me though of your guys’ Nandos with Niall.” 

Louis started laughing. Niall hadn’t been lying when he’d told him a C-bomb Nandos with him was an experience. First he had made them change the table the eight of them had been given at the restaurant, because over the other side of the building there was a group of “fit” girls that he wanted to be near. Then when they had all ordered and were eating, Niall had decided he was going to go and talk to them. As they all watched in anticipation to see what was going to happen, whilst Leanne kept muttering under her breath “bleeding Jesus” again and again her head in her hands. They saw all the girls begin to laugh after about a minute and then Niall had turned around his face resembling beetroot and had walked swiftly back over to their table. 

“Didn’t quite work out.” He mumbled, as Zayn started laughing so much he choked on his mashed potato and Perrie helpfully patted him on the back. 

They had all thought that would be it, but no when they’re were leaving the restaurant, Niall’s dignity hadn’t been shattered enough for him to ask one of the waitresses if they was single. Louis looked on in disbelief when she had said yes and told him her shift was ending in about twenty minutes if he wanted to head over to the pub around the corner with her. 

Niall had then just turned around to look at the rest of the group, a smirk on his face that was nearly breaking from its impact and said “See ya later guys.”

“Yeah” Louis said taking his teabag over to the bin and dropping it in, “I think I can honestly say that it was something special, the guy managed to pull in Nandos of all places.” 

He took his tea over and sat on the soft seat near Harry and instead of ever returning to his room spend the remains of the afternoon just chatting in the kitchen with him and Liam, feeling like he couldn’t have been put with better people to call his second home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so much longer than I expected! I'm terrible! Anyway I know not much happened in this chapter so once again sorry, but hopefully in the next chapter there is going to be a lot more Harry and Louis interaction, but just warning that this is most likely going to be a slow moving story. 
> 
> Thank you once again if you've taken the time to read this.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much if you've read this means a lot. I'm gonna try and keep updating at least every two weeks but I'm shite so it might end up being longer! 
> 
> Also the title's from Manchester Orchestra's song of the same name, cause it's a hella good song and you all should check it out x 
> 
> tumblr: http://youreoutofyourtree.tumblr.com/


End file.
